Network image scanning system which transmits image information from a scanner over a network to a client computer

• US 5,911,044 A
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 06/08/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Ricoh Corporation (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stewart, David, Lee, Kanghoon, Lo, Robin, Anzai, Iwao Max, Tremmel, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Application Number:
  US08/818,685
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.3, 395/200.32, 395/200.33, 395/200.34, 395/200.35, 395/200.36, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.55, 395/200.56 , 395/200.57, 395/200.58, 395/200.59, 395/200.8, 395/680, 395/500, 395/681, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for performing scanning operations using a scanner connected to a server computer and transmitting acquired images from the scanner server to a client computer. A scan-to-application process is utilized which allows control of the scanner or other image acquiring device which is connected to a scanner server using a virtual TWAIN driver which interfaces to an application program running in the client computer. Image files are also transmitted to a local file storage device of the client computer using a scan-to-file operation. A network protocol is used to implement both the scan-to-application and scan-to-file operation. Computer memories are utilized to store data structures or tables containing various information utilized during the file transfer procedures. Computer memories are also used to buffer and store the protocol packet headers and transmitted information.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring an image and transmitting the image from a first computer to a second computer, comprising the steps of:

executing an application program by the second computer, the application program interfacing with a scanner driver of the second computer which is usable with a plurality of application programs;

indicating, using the scanner driver of the second computer, that an image is to be acquired using the application program;

transmitting a command from the second computer to the first computer over a computer network indicating that an image is to be acquired;

receiving the command by the first computer;

acquiring an image at the first computer, after the step of receiving the command by the first computer;

transmitting over the computer network the image from the first computer to the second computer; and

storing the image on a storage medium of the second computer.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting parameters of the step of acquiring the image at the second computer.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a command from the second computer to the first computer which requests the first computer to transmit parameter information for the acquiring step; and

transmitting the parameter information from the second computer to the first computer.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

the step of transmitting the command which requests the first computer to transmit the parameter information comprises transmitting a command which requests the first computer to transmit capability information of an acquiring device which performs the step of acquiring.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

the step of transmitting the command which requests the first computer to transmit the parameter information comprises transmitting a command which requests the first computer to transmit capability information of an acquiring device which performs the step of acquiring and parameters which are to be used during the acquiring step.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining, by the second computer, whether the first computer is present on the network.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

selecting, by the second computer, that said first computer is to perform said acquiring, when said step of determining whether the first computer is present on the network determines that said first computer is present on the network and there is another computer on the network which is capable of acquiring and transferring images over the network to the second computer.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

writing information in a data structure at the first computer including identification information of the second computer.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

writing parameters used for the acquiring step in a data structure of the first computer.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

indicating, by a user at the first computer, that the acquiring step is to be performed.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying, at the first computer, information indicating a plurality of acquiring jobs which can be performed; and

selecting at the first computer, by a user of the application program at the second computer, one of the plurality of acquiring jobs.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

creating an entry in a memory having a data structure at the first computer, when there is an open communication session between the first and second computers.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of acquiring comprises:

scanning the image.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

registering the second computer with the first computer by a communication which initiates at the second computer.

31. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a TWAIN compatible scanner driver.

32. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a virtual TWAIN driver.

15. A system for acquiring an image and transmitting the image from a first computer to a second computer, comprising:

means for executing an application program by the second computer, the application program interfacing with a scanner driver of the second computer which is usable with a plurality of application programs;

means for indicating, using the scanner driver of the second computer, that an image is to be acquired using the application program;

means for transmitting a command from the second computer to the first computer over a computer network indicating that an image is to be acquired;

means for receiving the command by the first computer;

means for acquiring an image at the first computer, after the means for receiving the command by the first computer receives the command;

means for transmitting over the computer network the image which was acquired from the first computer to the second computer; and

means for storing the image on a storage medium of the second computer.

16. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means, at the second computer, for setting parameters of the means for acquiring.

17. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting a command from the second computer to the first computer which requests the first computer to transmit parameter information for the means for acquiring; and

means for transmitting the parameter information from the second computer to the first computer.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

the means for transmitting the command which requests the first computer to transmit the parameter information comprises means for transmitting a command which requests the first computer to transmit capability information of the means for acquiring.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein:

the means for transmitting the command which requests the first computer to transmit the parameter information comprises means for transmitting a command which requests the first computer to transmit capability information of the means for acquiring and parameters which are to be used by the means for acquiring.

20. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining, by the second computer, whether the first computer is present on the network.

21. A system according to claim 20, further comprising:

means for selecting, by the second computer, that said first computer is to perform said acquiring with the means for acquiring, when said means for determining whether the first computer is present on the network determines that said first computer is present on the network and there is another computer on the network which is capable of acquiring and transferring images over the network to the second computer.

22. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for writing information in a data structure at the first computer including identification information of the second computer.

23. A system according to claim 22, further comprising:

means for writing parameters used by the means for acquiring in a data structure of the first computer.

24. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for indicating, by a user at the first computer, that an acquiring is to be performed by the means for acquiring.

25. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for displaying, at the first computer, information indicating a plurality of acquiring jobs which can be performed; and

means for selecting at the first computer, by a user of the application program at the second computer, one of the plurality of acquiring jobs.

26. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for creating an entry in a memory having a data structure at the first computer, when there is an open communication session between the first and second computers.

27. A system according to claim 15, wherein said means for acquiring comprises:

an image scanner.

28. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for registering the second computer with the first computer by a communication which initiates at the second computer.

33. A system according to claim 15, wherein the means for executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

means for executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a TWAIN compatible scanner driver.

34. A system according to claim 15, wherein the means for executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

means for executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a virtual TWAIN driver.

36. An article of manufacture according to claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code means for executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

computer readable program code means for executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a virtual TWAIN driver.

29. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for acquiring an image and transmitting the image from a first computer to a second computer, comprising;

computer readable program code means for executing an application program by the second computer, the application program interfacing with a scanner driver of the second computer which is usable with a plurality of application programs;

computer readable program code means for indicating, using the scanner driver of the second computer, that an image is to be acquired using the application program;

computer readable program code means for transmitting a command from the second computer to the first computer over a computer network indicating that an image is to be acquired;

computer readable program code means for receiving the command by the first computer;

computer readable program code means for acquiring an image at the first computer, after the step of receiving the command by the first computer;

computer readable program code means for transmitting over the computer network the image from the first computer to the second computer; and

computer readable program code means for storing the image on a storage medium of the second computer.

30. An article of manufacture according to claim 29, further comprising:

computer readable program code means for setting parameters of the step of acquiring the image at the second computer.

35. An article of manufacture according to claim 29, wherein the computer readable code means for executing an application program by the second computer comprises:

computer readable program code means for executing the application program which interfaces with the scanner driver which is a TWAIN compatible scanner driver.